International SOS Risk Outlook 2026: Uncertainty Shaping the Pace of Preparedness

International SOS today unveiled its 10th annual Risk Outlook report¹, providing critical insights into the evolving and emerging security and health risk challenges facing organisations and their workforces in 2026.

The research confirms the continuous and rapid increase and convergence of risks and threats. In parallel, it highlights that this is placing heavy demand on the pace of preparedness required to protect employees and operations. Key findings include:

• Nearly six in ten leaders (57%) reported that new risks are emerging faster than they can manage. 74% said that the window for critical decision-making is shrinking and only 35% are confident they can mobilise teams rapidly.
• Although 80% believe that detecting risks quickly provides an advantage, only 20% reported that they feel confident in verifying risk information at pace.
• Nearly half (49%) note that risks are increasingly interconnected and converging, requiring joint security and medical responses.

Concurrently, International SOS has released its open-access Risk Map², which reflects today’s medical and security risk ratings. Several security ratings have been increased due to geopolitical tensions, including Iran (Medium to High), Myanmar (High to Extreme) and Niger (Medium to High). Mongolia has seen a reduction in its security risk rating, from Medium to Low, due to stability in the capital and improvements in natural disaster response and road safety. The medical risk rating for India has changed from variable to medium, due to the standard of care available in major cities.

Arnaud Vaissié, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of International SOS, “As we enter 2026, organisations face a landscape defined not only by complexity but by the accelerating pace of change. Geopolitical shifts, natural hazards, rising costs, and polarisation strain operations and impact employees. Misinformation and disinformation erode trust. Mental health concerns intensify as human capital becomes ever more critical. Risks no longer arrive in isolation; they converge, evolve, and challenge even the most robust plans. In this environment, preparedness is essential – the foundation for confidence, continuity, and growth.

The ability to anticipate and act decisively is what enables businesses to protect their people and sustain productivity, wherever they operate and whatever the circumstances. Preparedness can no longer be static. It must be intelligent, dynamic, and continuous. Artificial Intelligence has become a critical force multiplier, enabling real-time risk detection and faster decision-making. Technology alone cannot replace judgment. The integration of advanced analytics with deep human expertise is what delivers clarity from complexity and transforms uncertainty into actionable foresight.”

Uncertainty is rising sharply, with 66% of organisations saying it has grown significantly in the past year. Geopolitical instability is the top driver, cited by 47% of respondents. Cybercrime ranks second, yet other digital threats are being underestimated: only 14% of respondents identified misinformation and disinformation as significant sources of uncertainty, despite their growing potential to disrupt operations and erode trust.

At the same time, technology that could help mitigate these challenges is seemingly low. Despite widespread attention on artificial intelligence, just 6% of organisations view AI as important for risk management, suggesting missed opportunities to harness its capabilities.

Cvete Koneska, Global Security Director, International SOS, said: “Businesses can improve their ability to anticipate and adapt to change. Agility and access to timely intelligence are now essential for resilience.”

Nearly 80% of security and health specialists anticipate static or decreasing budgets, potentially blocking the ability to manage risks at pace.

Although data shows the burden of mental health issues continues to trend upwards, with over one billion people estimated to be living with mental health conditions³, it only rates in the top three concerns for 17% of those surveyed.

“Forgetting health means forgetting the human. International SOS case data indicates anxiety and stress are the most common mental health conditions requiring our assistance, with medication issues often complicating travel. Health risks rarely occur in isolation anymore. Extreme weather, mental health challenges, and infectious disease threats often overlap with security crises. Organisations must integrate medical and security planning to protect their people effectively.” Dr Irene Lai, Global Medical Director, International SOS, commented.

The report is available here: https://www.internationalsos.com/risk-outlook

About the International SOS Group of Companies; 40 Years of Saving Lives

The International SOS Group of Companies is in the business of protecting and saving lives. Wherever you are, we deliver customized security risk management, health and wellbeing solutions to fuel your growth and productivity. In the event of a security incident, epidemic, extreme weather or any other business-disrupting event, we provide an immediate response, giving you and your workforce peace of mind. We uniquely combine industry-leading technology with expertise in security, medical and logistics to deliver prevention programs that offer real-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground support.

Founded in 1985, the International SOS Group has been saving lives for 40 years. Headquartered in London and Singapore, we are trusted by over 9,000 organizations. This includes the majority of the Fortune Global 500, as well as mid-size enterprises, governments, educational institutions, and NGOs. Nearly 13,000 global experts stand with you to provide support and assistance from over 1,200 locations in 90 countries, over 110 languages, 24/7, 365 days a year.

We help protect your people and your organization, as well as support your compliance reporting needs. By partnering with us, your organization can fulfil its Duty of Care responsibilities and fortify its business continuity.

To strengthen your resilience, we are at your fingertips; internationalsos.com.

¹ The 2026 Risk Outlook combines International SOS expert insights and proprietary data with the findings from the Business Resilience Trends survey of 830 senior decision makers responsible for the health, wellbeing and/or security of people in their organizations. The fieldwork and analysis were carried out by Echo Research in August and September 2025.

² Risk Map 2026 is an annually updated representation of International SOS’ proprietary risk map, which is available exclusively to International SOS clients. International SOS’ risk map for clients is continuously updated based on the latest risk insights and provides granular details, including city-level ratings.

³ Over a billion people living with mental health conditions – services require urgent scale-up

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251204420443/en/

Contact

For media inquiries:
Suzanne Withers
Group Director, PR & Internal Communications, London
+44 07350 395446
[email protected]

Abstract

International SOS today unveiled its 10th annual Risk Outlook 2026 report and released its updated Global Risk Map.

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As we enter 2026, organisations face a landscape defined not only by complexity but by the accelerating pace of change. Geopolitical shifts, natural hazards, rising costs, and polarisation strain operations and impact employees.